West Seattle, Washington
06 Tuesday
Remember our August discussion about the Morgan Junction Short Stop sign adding “adult DVDs”? Until “West Seattle Dishes to Die For,” it was the talkiest WSB post ever. Now, a new chapter in this sign’s story — crash damage that even took off part of the word “adult.” Evan Baumgardner sent the photo (thank you!); the folks at the store told Evan this happened when a delivery truck hit the sign.
Just drove through – traffic is moving in both directions, without flaggers, once more — though a crew is still at the scene finishing up some work. Thanks again to the folks who live in the area who added updates to previous posts!
We have discussed this in fits and spurts from time to time but in recent days, two separate e-mails have come in, questioning the rationale for the 30 mph speed limit along the Admiral slope north of The Bridge. Our answer to both has been “it’s a low speed limit because of the houses on the east side of Admiral” but perhaps someone in WSB-land can address the situation more specifically. In the latest e-mail, WSB reader Kelly writes:
[My question] relates to the 30mph speed limit on Admiral Way to and from the bridge. Currently, we have a contractor working on a remodel of our bathroom and he received a $200 ticket on his way to our house the other day. I’m aware that this stretch of road is a notorious speed trap, but I’m wondering if anyone knows why the speed limit is only 30 mph? Was it previously higher?
It just doesn’t make sense to me. There are no cross-streets, cross-walks or any dangerous obstacles that I’m aware of. 30 mph seems absolutely ridiculous. It’s next to impossible to even keep a car at that speed limit going down the hill without riding the brakes the entire way (if you have an automatic).
Does anybody know of a legitimate reason for the 30 mph speed limit (besides being a cash-cow for the city)?
All opinions, facts, and memories welcome in comments.
Seattle Weekly spotlights some of the city’s last true taverns in this article from the latest edition and this online slideshow, including West Seattle’s own Poggie and Tug. (The article’s author, Mike Seely, lives in WS.)
Gorgeous nearly full moon in the western sky this morning. 1000 year headache (one of the dozens of sites on our Other Blogs in WS page) has two excellent pix.
The hole shown in the post below is definitely a sinkhole – just drove by, traffic at that spot on the Avalon slope is down to one lane, because of repair work (as of 6:20, it wasn’t even filled yet), with flaggers on both sides of about a two-block stretch directing traffic. Here’s the flashing-light proof:
All this is happening just west-southwest of here. 7:20 AM ADDENDUM: Amanda, who sent us the original report very early this morning, just told WSB she and others in the area have been without water since about the time we posted that first report. So this definitely involves water pipes.
Just in from Amanda on Avalon:
Amanda sent that photo along with this:
I live in an apartment on Avalon and around 11:35 pm a sink hole or something appeared in the street. Water was rushing down the street from the hole. I saw a huge puff of smoke appear but didn’t think much of it, just thought it was a car exhaust but then I saw all the water. The cops came and then some sort of utility truck is here now. Should be fun for the morning commute if they don’t get it fixed tonight.
This is on Avalon about halfway between 35th and Harbor Ave. We’ll check on it in a few hours.
On Election Day — when four Seattle School Board seats will be decided, including the open seat for West Seattle’s District 6 (Maria Ramirez vs. Steve Sundquist for the seat Irene Stewart is leaving) — the board’s highest-profile hire of the year happens to be coming to West Seattle, and inviting you to lunch:
Seattle Public Schools Superintendent Maria L. Goodloe-Johnson Ph.D.
Cordially invites you to lunch and an informal community gathering in School Board District 6Tuesday, November 6, 2007
11:45-1:15 p.m.
Denny Middle School library
8402 30th Ave SWLunch is available for purchase for those who RSVP by Nov. 1
$3.50, exact change please
Choices include Chicken Caesar Salad
Turkey Sandwich on Hoagie RollRSVP with your lunch choice to Pat McKenzie at 252-0200 or
pmckenzie@seattleschools.org
This community gathering is open to anyone in District 6. Please feel free to let your District 6 friends, neighbors and colleagues know about this gathering.
You should know, Denny actually is quite famous for its food.
The organizers posted new info today in the comments on our most recent post (click here and scroll down).
Reader Stacy says the two black Labradors shown below — one un-neutered male and one female she says looks to have given birth recently — turned up today at the Fauntleroy ferry terminal. They found an animal-control officer to scan them; one dog had a microchip, but — “with outdated info based in Redmond,” says Stacy. Any ideas who they belong to? Let us know and we’ll get you in touch with Stacy.
The P-I says glowing shrimp have surfaced in Seattle, including one purchase reported from the Morgan Junction Thriftway.
Even more is afoot at California/Oregon in The Junction: The mortgage office is gone at the northwest corner, and the storefront window has the makeshift sign you see above … promising Crazé Clothing on the way. Only thing we have found out so far — the business license is in the category the city titles “women’s, juniors, misses suits, skirts, and coats.” P.S. Big thank you to the WSB readers who first spotted this and e-mailed us about it, so we could share the news.
The West Seattle Bridge itself will remain open, but certain on- and off-ramps will be closed at times this Saturday morning because of drainage work. Here’s the full announcement from the city:Read More
In King County Superior Court this morning, 59th/Admiral shooting suspect Dwayne Myatt-Perez pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder. 11:55 AM ADDENDUM: Here’s our full report on the hearing —Read More
Shadowland is not alone in exterior enhancement at The Junction’s northernmost major intersection: This morning, the Senior Center of West Seattle is getting new signage:
Our frequently updated West Seattle-wide Events page now has 
25 WS Halloween/”harvest festival” events — some as soon as Friday. The 25 event listings include everything from three groups of local merchants offering trick-or-treating (The Junction on Saturday, Admiral and Westwood Village on Halloween) to a local dive club that’ll be carving pumpkins underwater at Alki. Check it all out here (and if anything’s missing, please let us know!). 10:40 AM ADDENDUM: Yet another of the featured events, Skeleton Theater, now has a website.
The P-I has an article today about an Arbor Heights couple still trying to get their insurance company to pay for the damage done when this happened during last winter’s storm:
Right after last week’s storm, we heard from the couple too, but hadn’t gotten the opportunity to go over and talk with them yet. Since their story’s out elsewhere in the mediasphere now, though, we thought you might want to read the version they sent out, press release-style, last week. Here it is, unedited:Read More
Before the next round of bad weather smacks us again, two things: First — Two reader recommendation requests, related to roofs. Second — some nice pix from today. We start with the RRRs:
Trevor writes: “The recent wind storm has jiggled a skylight on our roof and now it’s leaking” and is looking “for a reliable West Seattle handyman who isn’t afraid of heights.”
Michell is dealing with roof leaks and writes, “I am looking for a roofing company in West Seattle. Good work and good prices.”
All recommendations in the comments, please. And now – to balance those gray memories of last week’s stormy weather — three photos taken during the glorious afternoon sunshine:
All photos by WSB contributing photographer Christopher Boffoli; the last one, if you were wondering, features the Seattle Fire Department’s Ladder 11 team, training this afternoon near Jack Block Park.
Most of us vent about the traffic; would you be willing to help tell the story of what it’s like to be part of it day in and day out? Local filmmaker David Wheeler is making a documentary about The Viaduct and hoping the subject he’s looking for just might be out there in WSB-land:
Specifically, I need help finding a daily commuter who travels from W. Seattle downtown daily using the viaduct. Would be great if they were a Seattle native and would allow me to film them on their daily commute. I would use this as a thread to provide the storyline and cut the rest of my interviews around it.
This is a serious project; David already has met with agencies and groups from WSDOT to the Port of Seattle to the Admiral Neighborhood Association. If you think you might be the commuter he’s looking for, e-mail him here.
If you’re waiting for someone coming home up the Fauntleroy side of the end of The Bridge – might take a while longer; there’s a big backup because of some kind of “aid response” just past the overpass. Big Fire Department rescue vehicle & several police cars. Couldn’t quite tell what was wrong with/in the car — might be clearing soon; looks from the 911 log like the Fire Dept. is clearing out. (Campic of the backup below – the one with the rescue vehicles didn’t come out.)
The “Top 10 New Restaurants” featured in Seattle Metropolitan Magazine‘s November issue include 2 from West Seattle: Beato and Bakery Nouveau. So says (206) Life, as linked from Citizen Rain.
Just in from the office of West Seattle’s King County Councilmember Dow Constantine: A reminder that as county leaders work on the budget for next year, you’re invited to have your say at a hearing in West Seattle tomorrow night, 7 o’clock, West Seattle High School. Among the many decisions to be made: how much will be spent on transit, including the Water Taxi and Metro buses.
The residents who first sounded the alarm about the net fishing vs. seal pups problem off Anchor Park say the fishing crew in question (shown in the photo above, provided by those residents) hasn’t been back since last weekend. Some reports suggested the net might have belonged to the Suquamish Tribe, which is still investigating, so there’s no confirmation at this point who was to blame, nor about the fate of the pups that were photographed. … Also regarding the seals who continue showing up on West Seattle shores, we have heard from Brenda Peterson of the Alki Seal Sitters, who has two things she wants you to know: “With the beautiful weather there is a lot of foot and dog traffic, so we are asking people to please leash their dogs, especially now. Several pups were almost attacked this past weekend by off-leash dogs — the number one predator of seal pups on the beach.” Brenda also says there is a fishing derby off Harbor Ave this weekend and volunteers are needed to keep watch over any seals that may haul out during the tournament; e-mail us if you might be available to help (be sure to include a phone number) and we will forward your contact information to Brenda.
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